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Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 1 (EMN): Over a thousand women in Kohima joined the rest of the country for the ‘1st March Night Walk 2020’ (also called power walk), a nationwide campaign to popularise and promote women safety.
Women from all walks of life in the state capital marched the streets of Kohima town for about one hour.
The walk began from TCP Gate and culminated at Old MLA Hostel junction.
It was organised by Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) on Sunday night.
The participants, led by Angami Youth Organisation (AYO), walked past the town with placards and banners.
Speaking at the event, Khrienuo Tachu, the chairperson of NSCW, stated that the safety of women 24x7 in public spaces is essential and important for wholesome growth of societies across the world.
Citing the reason of the National Commission for Women (NCW) in directing to organise the walk in the capital cities of India from 7 pm onwards, she said the cases of violence against women had not diminished even in the 21st century.
"The main objectives of the night walk are to emphasise safe environment for woman to occupy public spaces and time; to normalise women's visibility in public spaces; to scale up and reach to a wider audience for women's safety on the road, especially at night; and to facilitate a progressive mindset change in the society, to eradicate victimhood and self-blaming," Tachu said.
Flagging off the night walk, Sano Vamuzo, former chairperson of NSCW, called upon women to spread love as "God who created us in His image has given us a special gift of love".
Vamuzo said women are "united in mind" though divided by vast diversity in culture, religion or organisation.
She therefore, urged them to 'talk less and work more' in bringing the society together.
The former chairperson said about 50 % of the population in Kohima are women, and asked the crowd, especially the Naga women representing various churches and organisations, to take responsibility to ‘conscientise their families, friends and neighbours about the issue of women safety’.